The story has great potential but I don't think this book is one of Robert Bryndza's best. I couldn't warm to the character of Kate Marshall and I just wanted to shake her sidekick Tristan. I've read most of the books in his Erika Foster series and liked all of them. But this is still a good read and I couldn't pick the killer until very near the end. I did find, however, that I was beginning to skim read pages which means the story hadn't captured my imagination. Further, I have not read the first book in this series and it may be that you need to read book one first to gain insight into the reason for Kate's alcoholism. My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book.

Shadow Sands is my first Robert Bryndza novel and now I'm hooked. These characters were new to me but I was swept along with the story and quickly learned all I needed to know about Kate and her sidekick Tristan. Kate is an University lecturer and Tristan is her assistant. But in the past Kate was THE COP who caught a serial killer, a serial killer who was also her boss, lover, and the father of her unborn child. A little drinking problem later and Kate is a recovery alcoholic who lost custody of her son to her parents. While on a dive adventure with her son, Kate discovers a body in the bottom of the local reservoir and things quickly stop adding up. When a fellow member of the University staff disappears, Kate and Tristan jump head first into the case where it looks like the police are dirty and wealthy privilege is alive and well. A twisty mystery that will keep you guessing on the whodunit as the pages fly by. This might be my first Robert Bryndza book but it won't be my last. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

This is the 2nd book in the Kate Marshall series by author Robert Bryndza. I have loved reading the Erica Foster series for sometime and this series looks to be to the same high standard. Kate Marshall is on a scuba trip with her son when they make a shocking discovery. On one of their dives they discover the body of a teenage boy entangled below the surface of the Shadow Sands reservoir. Detective chief inspector Kate Marshall doesn't go along with the tragic drowning theory and decides to dig deeper to find the truth. The boy turns out to be one of many mysterious deaths and disappearances linked to the moorlands and a mythical phantom said to be hiding in the rolling fog. When a researcher of urban legends vanishes without a trace, Kate and her associate Tristan Harper must act fast and look deep if they hope to find her alive. But the elusive serial killer they’re hunting isn’t the only one a step ahead of Kate and Tristan. Someone else is making dead certain that the secrets of Shadow Sands stay buried.
This is another winner for author Robert Bryndza, the character Kate Marshall is everything you want when reading a book series. Excellent writing, strong characters and a plot full of suspense.

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Thomas and Mercer for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

For some reason lately I’ve been reading a lot of serial killer books. This one was really good, even though parts were hard to read. I didn’t read the first book in the series and I kind of wish I had because this book gave away most of what happened in the first book. But it was still really worth reading and I’ll probably go back in by the first book and read it now. I had my suspicions who had done it and it turns out I was completely wrong. Thank you netgalley, The publisher, and the author for allowing me to read this arc.

Having not read the first in the Kate Marshall series, Nine Elms, I was hesitant to start Shadow Sands. However, I made the decision to go ahead and start the book to see if I could follow the storyline and characters without having read the first in the series. I had no trouble making connections and really enjoyed the book. I plan to go back and read Nine Elms and keep up with the series as new books are released.

My only critique is that some of the character descriptions were too similar. For example, lots of the male characters were described as having long hair or hair that was worn in a ponytail, etc… Just got a little old after I read what felt like the same male character description, for a different character, for the third time.

Full review to be published online in late November.

SHADOW SANDS is the intriguing second entry to Robert Bryndza’s new “Kate Marshall” series. review.
Kate is diving in a reservoir with her son when they come across the dead body of Simon Kendal. It is ruled an accident, but Simon's mother doesn't buy it because he was a champion swimmer. She hires Kate to investigate. So Kate and her assistant Tristan investigate and uncover some inconsistencies in the police work that has been done.

Robert Bryndza's is the author that first got me hooked on U.K. Police Procedurals. I’ve read all of the Erika Foster books and Nine Elms, the first in this series. I feel like when I pick up one of his books, they just flow, I get into them right away and zoom right through them. This one was no different, even if I’m still having a bit of a hard time warming up to Kate.

Kate Marshall is enjoying her time with Jake her son for the summer holidays
On the last day they decided with Jake's insistence to Suda dive the local reservoir as the old village that got flooded years ago was beneath it.
Kate and Jake were enjoying the dive until thay come across a body of a teenage boy ,he is badly wounded and injuries across his body. Kate immediately signalled to Jake to come to air. Once on dry land Kate phoned the police and when they arrived with the new DCI Henry Ko he wanted to dismiss Kate's thoughts that it was fowl play.
What Kate and he trusted friend Tristan find out about Shadow Sands reservoir and the owners chill you to the bone.

Shadow Sands by Author Robert Bryndza is the second book in the Kate Marshall Series

This fast paced serial killer thriller is a very readable addition to a new series.

Kate Marshall is a former police detective, and this story starts off with a body being found while she is diving in a reservoir with her teenage son.

Kate Marshall and her assistant Tristan are likeable characters, and are well developed in the script

Thank you to NetGalley, Author Robert Bryndza, and the Publisher for my advanced copy to review

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ex-cop and current University lecturer, Kate Marshall is diving in a reservoir with her son when they come across the dead body of Simon Kendal. It is ruled an accident, but Simon's mother doesn't buy it because he was a champion swimmer. She hires Kate to investigate. So Kate and her assistant Tristan investigate and uncover some inconsistencies in the police work that has been done.

I really enjoy Robert Bryndza's work. I read all of the Erika Foster books and Nine Elms, the first in this series. I feel like when I pick up one of his books, they just flow, I get into them right away and zoom right through them. This one was no different. I like the Kate and Tristan characters and look forward to the next installment.

After solving the Nine Elms case in book 1 Kate Marshall and her assistant Tristan Harper are back to solve and equally unsettling case: why people have been mysteriously disappearing in the Shadow Sands reservoir for years. Kate discovers the body of a young man while diving in the reservior. Months later, she discovers that his death, which had been ruled an accident, was actually a murder. Is it connected to the other people who have disappeared in the area? Is a serial killer on the loose? I enjoyed the book not only because of the engrossing plot but also because of the dynamic between Kate and Tristan. They support each other not matter what. I look forward to another Kate and Tristan adventure.

This is book #2 in the Kate Marshall series and was a great 2nd book. I really liked the current murder and missing person plot and how Kate and Tristan tied all the pieces together. The pace of putting the pieces together was good and kept pulling me deeper into the plot. The implications of police corruption and the local family with influence was a nicely done and strong component of the plot. Magdalena as the missing person was awesome. I like a strong and fierce person working through their "against all odds" situation. Her character gets 5 stars.

I'm still warming up to Kate and Tristan. I am in the minority, as I didn't care for the serial killer plot nor the serial killer ex from Nine Elms (book#1). And as this is the background for Kate's character it gets revisited in this book. I know the serial killer is Kate's son father, but I hope this doesn't mean he's going to rear his ugly head in every book. I definitely did not like how Kate's family bombarded her with an ultimatum. It's like if you want to see your son, you have to spend an hour with your serial killer ex who tried to kill you twice. UGH!! Makes you want to disown your family. This could get old really quick and I like my suspense stories without a lot of unnecessary drama. I leave the drama to the Bravo channel.

Tristan really felt immature in this book which I didn't necessarily remember from book #1. He continues to do some good background research which really helps Kate.

I would love to see Magdalena's character continue!

I definitely enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. I'm looking forward to the next in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of this book.

Enjoyed this a great deal. At times I have felt the story line is a little far fetched but it’s a great read. The continuous presence of a serial killer in d someones life and the connection between them is fascinating and very “Luther”.

This is Bryndza’s second offering in the Kate Marshall series. Whilst it doesn’t deliver the climatic intensity of his other books (DI Foster series included) it is a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging read.

Book 2 follows a weary Kate as she struggles to come to terms with life post Nine Elms. You don’t necessarily have to read Nine Elms to be brought fully up to speed with this second novel. But, I do however feel that this book used the back story heavily as a crutch rather than taking the leap of faith and channeling its efforts into building a new story.

I thought that this book as a whole was a little slow paced for Bryndza and it made me worry that he wasn’t fully behind his characters and his amazing ability to write. He’s a very accomplished writer with an extraordinary ability to write from a female perspective and clearly revels in creating multiple characters that all spin like tops around the main mystery of the book.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for anyone that loves Brydnza’s books. But don’t expect it to blow your socks off like Nine Elms did.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advance copy of this book. All reviews are my own.

After I read the first Kate Marshall book, I quickly devoured Robert Bryndza's other work. And while I liked it a lot, Kate was still my fave. So I jumped at the chance to read the sequel. This time, Kate's drawn into a case that's not so close to home metaphorically, but I was still drawn in as well. I basically read half the book in my first sitting. That's a pretty good endorsement, I think.

A damaged body floating deep in a reservoir, strange disappearances on foggy nights, a wealthy local family fiercely protective of its privacy and hints of a police cover up in a range of investigations - these are the elements of Robert Bryndza’s second Kate Marshall mystery. A visiting academic from Italy, a young woman called Magdalena, disappears while investigating local legends and mysteries. Kate and her assistant, Tristan, pick away at these threads and discover an unnerving conspiracy while the young woman’s life hangs in the balance.

I thought this had a bit more realism than the first book in the series and it was certainly an engaging mystery. The tension was palpable throughout. We also got a lot more insight into Tristan’s character and Kate’s relationship with her son gets more complicated. I enjoyed this story a lot and will be keen to see where the author takes the series next.

Really enjoyed this book it was a very riveting story. I think I even liked this better than book one as we are now getting to know the characters a little more. I really had a hard time putting this one down, it held my interest right from page one and I found myself reading late into the night because I didn’t want to put it down. It was a case of just one more chapter!, that went on for ages. This was a very well put together story, just what I have become to expect from the author. It definitely didn’t disappoint it was a cracking read. Very well deserved five stars from me.

Another fantastic Kate Marshall read, love Roberts books, wasn't sure he could top Erica Foster, but he's smashed it with Kate, a great story from start to finish, couldnt put it down

This new one by Robert Bryndza is fantastic! Kate and her son Jake stumble upon a body while scuba diving in the Shadow Sands reservoir. She and her associate Tristan find that this is not the first tragedy related to this area and body of water. Not only that, but there seems to be some type of cover-up, as it's written off as a typical drowning, when it becomes clear it is anything but that.

There's a mysterious family, The Bakers, tied to this area who are not keen to speak to anyone about local disappearances and what could be more deaths. But Kate and Tristan are determined to find out what's really happening here and why their local police force is only too willing to yield to the whims of the Baker family. Yes, the family holds great wealth, but is law enforcement really that corrupt? And is the recent disappearance of a lecturer at Kate & Tristan's college also tied to this family?

It's a great mystery with a sinister family that you just know are deeply involved. It's hard to see how Kate and Tristan will be able to crack the case when everyone is determined to keep them away and the Bakers are allowed to do as they please. There's also a sweet sub-plot involving Tristan and his sister that provides more insight into his character. It's another great chapter in what I hope will become a long series!

This is book 2 in Kate Marshall series and this books just makes me anxious for book 3!! Kate has been a detective, had an affair with a serial killer, became a criminal lecturer and private detective. In this book she is 'looking' for a missing young woman after she goes diving with her son (by the serial killer) and finds a body. People disappear. YES Robert Bryndza writes an enjoyable read. Great characters, a twist or two in a mystery and of course I'm up for the ride. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Keep on writing Robert!

Shadow Sands, the second novel in Byrndza's Kate Marshall amateur sleuth series, is a fast paced exciting serial killer read sure to have wide appeal because of its readability and accessibility. Marshall is not quite an amateur. She's a former police detective whose lover was her superior and turned out to be a crazed serial killer. Now, recovering from years of alcohol abuse and emotional turmoil, Marshall is a mother and a university lecturer. But, she gets involved in murder cases like any amateur does, stumbling over a body while diving with her 16-year-old son in the reservoir and, despite appearances, doesn't accept that it's an accidental drowning.

There are a lot of spoilers with regards to Bryndza's earlier novel, Nine Elms. So, probably best to read that one first. As noted, it's one of those cases where it feels an amateur sleuth and her trusty assistant Tristan are in over their heads, but it was still an easy enjoyable read.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.